Universal Music has announced that it will be reissuing 8 of the back catalogue albums on purple vinyl. This reissue includes:
Machine Head
Made in Japan
Who Do We Think We Are
Burn
Stormbringer
Made in Europe
Come Taste the Band
Last Concert in Japan
All items are said to be new digital transfers of the original master tapes at Abbey Road Studios, cut to heavyweight 180-gram purple vinyl. Vinyl albums come with download codes. The reissues will come out on September 7 and will be priced €21 for 1LP (€27 for MiJ), or €157 for the whole bundle. They can be preordered from the label.
I’ve known Pete York and Miller Anderson since the late 60s. Several early DP tours were with Hardin/York and we’ve often met from time to time since then.
Over the years, Pete has organized lots of these special events, featuring a phalanx of great musicians. In 1970, Ian Paice, Miller and I took part in Pete’s first one (I still have the poster advertising “Super Drumming” at Bumper’s Club in London).
Swiss site 24 heures reports that a memorial plaque has been unveiled this Wednesday, July 4, on the Résidence des Alpes building in Territet (Montreux) — the very same building that was the Grand Hotel back in 1971.
Gillan, Glover and Paice were in attendance, as well as Jean-Paul Marquis (stage manager at the Casino the night it caught fire), plus some dignitaries, including British ambassador to the UN.
Italian radio station Radio Rock 106.6 has posted a lengthy interview with Ian Gillan. Our best guess, it was recorded some time in June 2017 (several things hint to that) and now is being used (reused?) to promote the current tour. Quite entertaining nevertheless. Continue Reading »
Record company has announced some release details for the Ian Gillan & The Javelins — a collection of rock’n’roll standards recorded by Big Ian with his first band (predating even Episode Six) earlier this year.
In the early 1960’s, you might have seen The Beatles doing Chubby Checker’s ‘Twist and Shout’ at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, or The Rolling Stones doing Chuck Berry’s ‘Come On’ at the Station Hotel in Richmond, and The Javelins doing Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Smokestack Lightning’ at Wistowe House in Hayes.
These contemporary recordings (2018) by The Javelins are drawn from our set lists, circa 1963, when I was 18 years old. Now, a few years later, I have the privilege and joy of working with my old mates from the original group; Gordon Fairminer (Lead Guitar); Tony Tacon (Rhythm Guitar); Tony Whitfield (Bass Guitar); Keith Roach (Drums), as we make a long overdue L.P.
The album has been recorded at the Chameleon Studios during a five days recording session in Hamburg, March 2018, Germany. It also features Don Airey on piano as a special guest. It will be released on August 31st, 2018 on earMUSIC as CD digipak, 1LP gatefold vinyl (180g, black) and digital download.
Record company keeps promoting the latest Don Airey solo album with posting the title track One of a Kind:
Meanwhile, some time ago Don released another solo album without much fanfare. That album is called Going Home. It is the jazz piano album that Don started mentioning he’s working on since a few years ago. The album is self published and can be ordered through Don’s website (please be patient — it is more often down then up lately).
We managed to procure a copy of the latter and hope to offer you a reveiew once the things at THS ivory towers get a little less hectic.
Steve Morse gave an overview of his touring gear to the Music Radar, including his new guitar — an Ernie Ball Steve Morse 30th Anniversary.
This is the most simplified version.
For the first time ever it’s got an active circuit. I’ve been resisting this for a long time, but I know John Petrucci and Steve Lukather’s guitars have these and they always sound great.
So I agreed to try it and it gives me a different sound, a more modern sound. And I agree I’m not the most modern guy. I use it during the show and there’s nothing else that will get the sound. It’s two humbuckers, and Dudley at Music Man made these. Again with the multiple switch it’s possible to do anything [with coil split and combinations]. The transparent [plexi] plates were originally a plastic like my other models but when I saw the finish I thought it was criminal to cover it up.
We always keep the scale and length the same and it will fit into a student-size gig bag, I hold it under my arm and it will fit right on board in the overhead [luggage]. It’s not a huge guitar but it’s got everything you need. In fact, it’s longer scale than a Firebird.
A second show in Osaka has been added to the Japanese tour calendar. We have no reliable information, but usually this happens when the first one is either sold out or being very close to.
Fun fact: the venue they will be playing in Osaka is the very same venue where the bulk of original Made in Japan album was recorded, albeit extensively renovated since then.
Ian Gillan gave an interview to Finnish KaaosTV while being in the neighbouring Estonia. He revealed, among other things, that he has recorded an album of rock’n’roll standards with his first band The Javelins, which should be out some time in August. He also mentioned that he has solo and Rock Meets Classics orchestral tours booked for February-March next year.
![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/gillan4.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/glover3.jpg)
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing